Twisted and Forgotten: a Darker Tale of Underland
by FreakyFantasy
Summary: The son of the Red Queen & Stayne has taken over Underland. Alice Kinglsey returns for the 3rd time only to find her dearest friends deranged & mutated. Sorry it's so short, but I hope you still enjoy! Rated T for some violence.
1. Prologue

The grimy streets of Underland were emptier than usual. Underlanders locked their doors and windows and doused the flickering flames of their candles. Much had changed since Miss Alice Kingsley had made her second trip to 'Wonderland'. Darkness had taken complete rule over the innocent people that lived there. Patches of streets and homes crumbled away; the people had grown sorrowful. The magic that kept Underland alive was failing. It was all because of the wretched son of the Red Queen and Ilosovic Stayne who was born on Alice's twenty third birthday. He was given a potion so he would grow to the age of twenty three as well. His name was Ebony Stayne.

Underlanders cursed Ebony's name. He was wicked and cruel. The Red Queen and the Knave of Hearts had been banished, but he smuggled them back into Underland. He had captured the good and pure White Queen and tossed her into a dungeon. He left Hatter, Chessur, Mallymkun, and the others to rot away in the prison cell as well. But then he had a better idea.

He completely changed all of Alice's comrades and allies. He erased their treasured memories and replaced them with utterly depraved thoughts. He showered darkness over them, changing their looks, their attitudes, and their hearts. They were now twisted and forgotten, roaming the gloomy woods far off from Underland. The White Queen had just enough willpower and Underland magic left inside her to fight off the evil that Ebony poured over her. She escaped the monstrous scarlet castle of the new ruler of Underland.

…

Minerva sat quietly, deep in thought, on a large boulder beside a rippling brook. She sighed miserably. She had experienced the terror of watching her dearest friends being transformed into horrific beings. Flashbacks of Hatter growing four inch long razor sharp black claws and saber tooth tiger like fangs raced through her mind. She gasped and collapsed onto the shriveled up dead grass. It was too much for her to bare.

So she laid there, silver tears rolling down her smooth white cheeks. Her life form was a bright, valiant contrast against the gloomy, dank world around her. Minerva took a deep breath and rose to her feet. She would not waste the time that was given to her, crying. No, she would make haste to Overland and bring back the Champion. Alice Kingsley would once again return to her beloved rightful home and would once again, be the Champion of Underland.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: I apologize for the misspelling of Mirana's name. My computer automatically changed it to Minerva and I did not realize it 'til after the prologue was posted. Every time I said, Minerva, I meant Mirana. Reviewers, please inform me of any mistakes I make. Hopefully, I will not make anymore, but no one is perfect.**

Ebony Stayne walked briskly past a giant mushroom forest that towered over fifty feet. He turned to his head commanding officer. "Cut them all down." he snarled through clenched teeth. "Yes sir." the officer dipped his head as a form of respect and went to work whacking away at the vibrant mushrooms. A officer of lesser rank bounded up to the new king. "Hatter is completely bonkers." he said, out of breath. Ebony raised an eyebrow in question. "Wasn't he always?" he snapped. "Well yes, but now… he's attacking people. Your people. Look." the officer panted, sticking out his arm. Four gashes covered his entire arm. "Transforming him into that, that, thing, was the absolute worst mistake you have ever made. He's raiding cities, your Majesty!"

The king's face twisted into a look of pure hatred. "I do not make mistakes," he chided. Then the most feared words in all of Underland escaped his tongue. "Off with his head," he hissed softly, breaking into a nefarious grin letting his fangs show. The head commanding officer grabbed the lesser officer's arm and dragged him off. "No! Please! I didn't mean that! No!" His shriek rang throughout the entire forest.

...

Mirana tiptoed past Absalom, who was sound asleep on the pitiful remains of a mushroom. Or so she thought. His eyes were in slits, locked on her. She hesitantly stepped over his body. She could not walk on the ground on either side of him for there where spikes sticking up out of the ground. Once she stepped on the firm ground on the other side of him, she still did not feel safe.

Absalom had been transformed along with the others. He was now a half human, half caterpillar type creature. His skin was blue with lighter blue rings around his arms, legs, neck, and fingers. His hair was thin and blond and came a little ways past his chin. His eyes were solid black and he had black antennas on the top of his head. He wore tattered brown pants with the knees worn out.

Absalom steadied the White Queen for only a moment before assuming her a foe. He reached out and grasped her ankle. He yanked her towards him, slamming her down in front of him. "Ab, it's me. Your queen." she rushed her words. He pondered the thought for a moment. "Underland has no queen, only a king!" he declared. "A king who would kill you in an instant… You know this…" she whispered. "I know what I know! You on the other hand, know nothing!" the half human half caterpillar argued.

The gentle White Queen sat up and gripped his shoulder. She shook him slightly. "Please," she begged, "Please come to your senses. We must bring back the Champion." Absalom rolled his eyes and pulled his hookah pipe out from under him. "We must not to anything. You do what you must and I will do what I must." he stated. "What must _you_ do?" Mirana questioned. The other Underlander blew a cloud of smoke in her face. "I must do nothing." he remarked with a snicker.

_Why is it so difficult to talk to anyone nowadays?_ she thought to herself. "Fine then. Have it your way…. Farefarren Absalom." she dipped her head in respect to him. He puffed more smoke in her face. "Whatever." he replied, lying down on his back with one hand behind his head and one hand on his pipe. As Mirana made her way towards two paths, she halted, unsure. "May she take the wrong path. May the savage Hatter find her." Absalom hissed, nodding in her direction. "Take the left path!" he shouted to her. She sighed with relief. Maybe some people were on her side after all. Unfortunately, Absalom was not one of them.


	3. Chapter 3

It was a cheery September day, the dew on the flowers glittered in the golden rays of sunlight and the leaves rolled angrily outside Miss Alice Kingsley's open circular window. She sat perched on the cushioned red velvet seat beneath the windowsill, her long flowing blond hair in a braid down her back. She wore a dress with a white petticoat, a blue laced up bodice over her blouse, and white stockings. Her shoes were black low cut boots with a strap fastening near the ankle at the side. Her mother insisted on her carrying a purse made out of white rabbit fur, but Alice gasped and swatted it away, knocking it out of her mother's hands. 'How dare you!' her mother had scolded. 'It might have been a friend...' the girl had replied, thinking of McTwisp. 'What ever you say darling. Just make sure you are ready in time for Herold's ball. He invited you and if you do not show, he will be distraught.' 'Yes Mother.'

Truth to the matter was, Alice had no intention on going to Herold's ball. Her mother was forcing her to go. Alice had to admit, Herold was an incredibly kind man. He gave large portions of his money to charities and orphanages, cared for the sick and wounded animals that came to his doorstep, and believed whatever Alice said was true. He dared not accuse her of things, talk bad about her behind her back, abuse her, or order her around. He simply let her be her own person and if she claimed she fell down a rabbit hole and ended up in a strange land, he believed her with every thread of belief he had in him. He loved her dearly; thought of her as a unique, inspiring young woman that could master anything she pleased. The problem was, Alice's heart belonged to another. Tarrent Hightopp was always on her mind. She missed him dearly, but figured she needed to move on. What were the chances she would find the same rabbit hole three times? Not very likely.

So she sat, waiting for her mother to return to the library in their home. She had decided on giving her daughter a few moments peace since her mind seemed so very astray. Alice appreciated this time to think alone. She thought of the Mad Hatter of course! The remembrance of his vivid orange hair made her giggle out loud. She missed his smile. His half crazy, half loving smile he always gave her. She sighed deeply, tears beginning to form in her innocent eyes. Even if she somehow stumbled upon her beloved Underland once more, things would never work out with her and her true love. He was obviously several years older than her. The exact number, she did not know. Besides, if Hatter had liked her in the way she had liked him, he would have come to Overland searching desperately for her. But he didn't. Not once. And she knew.

There was a soft _tap tap tapping_ on the library door. Alice hastily wiped the tears from her eyes and straitened herself up. "Come in." she said, her voice barley audible. "Sweet, sweet Alice Kingsley." a familiar voice chimed from behind the door. "Herold? Aren't you to be at your ball? I expect your friends are wondering where you are." Alice inquired. Herold opened the door a crack. "May I come in?" he asked. "I believe I said 'come in' just a moment ago actually." she replied. "Sorry..." "Quite alright. Now, like I asked, why are you not present at your own ball? Are you not attending?" Herold swung the door open and stepped foot inside the library. "What a lovely library! Oh, sorry. To answer your questions, I canceled the ball. You and I are going to a tea party held at the park. I came to escort you there." He smiled, his handsome charm inciting her to run and jump in his arms and say 'Oh yes! Oh take me there at once!' But she held back. "You can't just cancel a dance. It's not very adult like to make plans for people to come to something of yours and then cancel it the moment before they arrive!" she argued. Herold shook his head, guilt showing in his hazel eyes. "I know. I'm sorry. I just knew how much you hated to dance. I know you love tea though..." his voice wavered between tones.

"Will you go with me? Please darling?" Alice considered the thought. "Afraid not. I have other plans for today actually. I plan to scope out all of London for rabbit holes," she remarked, her mind set on the thought, "Yes, that is what I must do. Fairfarren Herold." "Fair what?" She ignored him, getting up and briskly striding past him. "See you whenever I get back!" she called over her shoulder as she ran out the door.

...

McTwisp stretched his sore hind legs. He had been hopping all day. His now midnight black fur shone as bright as a star in the moonlight that shrouded over him. He had ditched the waistcoat a few miles back. He was not changed as much as the others. Actually he didn't change much at all. His fur color had turned black and he a little more independent perhaps, but beside that he was the same rabbit he was before. His nose twitched. "I smell, I smell, what is that I smell?" he babbled to himself. Whilst he tried to indicate the peculiar smell, something large stirred near him. McTwisp's ears perked up. "Oh!" He looked in the direction of the threatening sound. It came from above the rabbit hole. His first thought was to flee, but he gathered his nerves and stayed planted in spot. His heart was telling him to stay put. "Hello?" a voice called down. "Hello." he answered hesitantly. "I recognize that voice!" the thing above him shouted gleefully. "McTwisp! Is that you?" The rabbit jerked his head to the side. "Friend or foe? I do not know." he rhymed. "Friend! It's me! Alice of Wonderland!"

...

Ebony Stayne sat on his throne made of gold and the cushion made of rabbit skin. He cared not how many defenseless bunnies were killed to make the cushion. The only thing that mattered was that he was comfortable. "Guards!" he called. Three muscular men came to his assistance. He clicked his tongue. "Bring me a goblet of the richest wine you can find." he barked. "Yes, your Majesty." they spoke at the exact same time. As they went off, Ebony grasped teeny pinkish/orange mushroom and plopped it into his mouth. He shot up suddenly. His gray cloak stained with wet blood whipped out over the top of his knee length crimson coat. His tall black boots with spikes running up the back, clanked as he strode up to a guard in front of the castle entrance. The entrance was a portcullis, a large iron gate with spikes on the bottom to impale enemies when dropped on them. "Alice is in Underland." he informed the guard. "Who, sir?" "Alice Kingsley, you dunce! The young woman of who my parents told me defeated them! I sense her presence! I want you to rally the troops and go after her. Go now! Bring her to me! Make sure she's alive so I can say my favorite words: Off with her head!" his voice echoed throughout the entire castle.


	4. Chapter 4

A sea of blue and foamy white swirled in a whirlpool in Ebony Stayne's throne room. He bent over, fascinated by its sudden appearance overnight.

"What would happen if one fell in, I wonder?" he asked his guard.

"I have no clue, sir." the guard answered.

"Let's find out, shall we Benjamin?" The corners of the king's mouth formed a smile full of malice. He shoved the guard forward.

"Jump in." he ordered.

"But I have a family! Why not someone else do-"

"JUMP IN!"

"No." Benjamin held his ground.

"Did you say no to _me_? Off with his head!" Ebony screamed. Footsteps rumbled throughout the castle; the ground shook. Somewhere around ten dozen guards came; weapons of all sorts clasped in their hands.

"Would you like to be beheaded or jump down there? Your choice." Ebony hissed, placing his crown made of animal teeth and claws on top of his short spiky scarlet red hair with a black stripe running down the split center. He wore a choke collar around his thin neck.

Benjamin gulped. "Down there I guess." he stammered.

"Then go."

Benjamin took a step forward. "Do I have-"

"Yes! Bye bye!" the king cut him off, pushing him into the whirlpool where the guard disappeared completely.

...

A mouse danced in the shadow cast by the flickering flame of a small fire she had built. Her fur was matted; her teeth and claws were long and yellowing. She hunched over, doing a sort of tribal dance. Her face was painted with two blue streaks under each of her narrowed black eyes. Mallymkun's tail lashed from side to side.

"Stinky little Mirana came running past me! I laughed and stabbed her foot and she glared at me!" she sang, loud and pitchy. She made a sort of tsk tsk sound and sang again, this time bellowing it.

"STINKY LITTLE MIRANA CAME RUNNING PAST ME! I LAUGHED AND STABBED HER FOOT AND SHE GLARED AT ME!" The little mouse rolled on the ground laughing hard, holding her sides.

...

Mirana's right foot bled slightly as she ran on and on. Mallymkun's taunts could be heard from behind. She decided to stop and bandage her foot before darting off again. The sky lightened at the coming of dawn. The path she was taking was better lit now. She could see the stumps where the trees had been chopped down and thrown in a pile, blocking the path. She sighed. There was a small place where she could crawl through two trees in the pile. Mirana held her breath and crawled through them. Twigs slapped against her skin and some thorns caught on her dress. She pulled out a knife she used for emergencies and cut from the knee down off her dress. One twig snapped against her chin, splitting it open a little.

On the other side there was a sort of whirlpool in the center of the clearing.

"How peculiar."

Mirana edged towards it. Before she had time to inspect it, she heard growling coming from three different beings behind her. She spun around. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Look what my friends have become."

...

Alice Kingsley led by the White Rabbit (now black) followed the sound of treacherous growling.

"Things are not at all the same here. Everything is savage since Ebony Stayne son of the Red Queen and of the Knave of Hearts took over."

"Who?"

"I'll explain later! Looks like Mirana is having some trouble!"

The two pushed themselves to run (or in McTwisp's case, hop) faster. Mirana was surrounded by three deranged creatures; snarling and mutated. One had purple fur with black stripes and two black rat tails. He had white hair, his eyes were piercing yellow serpent like eyes, and he had two cat ears on top of his head.

"Chessure Cat." McTwisp huffed.

Alice spotted a warlike mouse as they went further towards them.

"Mallymkun."

Another had shoulder length orange hair that was wild and tangled. He had four inch long razor sharp black claws and saber tooth tiger like fangs. He was muscular and about six foot tall. His eyes were solid white and he had four arms. He had holes in his shirt where the arms had grown. His pants were ripped as well.

Alice stopped dead in her tracks.

"Hatter."

...

Ebony waited for his troops who were sent after Alice to arrive. But they didn't. He pondered what could be taking them so long.

...

Absalom watched the two normal people and the black rabbit stare wide eyed at their opponents. No one moved. No one spoke. Tension rustled on the mutants' side. They grew restless. Hatter charged. Alice dogged Tarrent's ferocious attempt to scratch her shoulder. She had no weapons. None of them did but Mirana. She had a small knife was all.

"It is against my vows to harm any living creature." she told the young woman. McTwisp didn't look so ready to fight either.

Out of nowhere, Absalom tackled Hatter bowling him over. "Don't you dare hurt Alice!" he barked.

"He remembers her!" Mirana gasped.

"Remembers who?" McTwisp questioned. He still had no memory of Alice Kingsley.

Absalom took a blow to the arm, Hatter's claws digging into his flesh. Blood trickled all the way down his arm, splattering on the ground; he grunted from the pain. Mirana tossed him her knife.

Mally and Chssur started forwards.

"No! This is their fight." she said. And so they waited, their patience running thin. Suddenly, everyone was surrounded; weapons pointed at their chests. Absalom stopped trying to strangle Tarrent (which had been making Alice sob). The troops of the king had found them all.


	5. Chapter 5

Ebony Stayne's guards dragged Absalom on the ground, his heels digging into the earth. He had been struggling and kicking; he even bit one guard in the hand.

"It's no use. Don't fight them. They are too strong." Mirana sighed. Her hair snagged on branches which came free when the guards tugged hard enough, but the twigs remained tangled in her now crazy hair. She looked up teary eyed at Alice. She had been knocked unconscious because she was 'too dangerous.' Hatter suddenly stole her glance away. His eyes were cloudy; he was shaking terribly. How had such a vicious beast become so timid and scared?

"Maybe it's a trick?" McTwisp remarked, as though reading her thoughts.

"I think he is scared of himself. He's so much more insane than he ever has been and he knows it. He has his moments where he may know what he has done." Chessur and Mallymkun both rolled their eyes at Mirana's thought. Hatter couldn't be scared. He was a mutant.

"Guessing is getting us nowhere!" the part feline snapped, "Maybe... Oh gosh, I cannot believe I'm about to say this-"

"We should work together." Mirana finished. Chessur narrowed his eyes._  
_

"I just want to escape. Who's with me?" he whispered, his voice strained.

"Me!" Mally cheered.

"Shh. Softer Mally. The guards are right here... Me." McTwisp replied, twitching from nervousness.

"Me of course. And Alice too. She's unconscious at the moment, so I will speak for her." Mirana decided. She gasped; there was a cry of pain from up ahead.

"Absalom!" The trees cast a dark shadow over his limp and lifeless looking body. There was blood on his lip and his left eye. His bottom lip had been split and his eye, well no one could see much because he covered it with his hands.

"You all can escape if you want; I just don't think your friend will have an easy time seeing with one eye and not using his hands. Oh and he's bleeding pretty bad too." a cloaked figure whipped around, his eyes ablaze. He let his hood fall to his shoulders.

Hatter's head snapped up. "Ebony Stayne!" he growled.

...

Thackery threw a teacup at the head commanding officer as he strode past. "Down with the bloody new king!" he laughed uncontrollably.

"Shut your mouth, hare!"

"Make me!" March Hare squealed.

"Fine!" the officer charged._ Thwack!_

"I win." Thackery had smashed a teacup against the enemy's skull. Now that that task was over with, time to find the way out of the castle. There were so many passage ways and corridors; he would never find the way out. He headed down a narrow hallway that looked promising. There was a light at the end that shone brighter than any star. He bounded down towards the light, his gray rustled fur standing on edge. His four golden eyes dimmer than before. His transformation wasn't as bad as some of the others. Blue spikes did run down his back though.

The walls of the hallway were painted with chalk and the room had grown cold. Thackery shivered, a chill running down his spine. Candles hovered above a stiff iron door with a golden lock bigger than the hare's head in the center. An escape route. Thackery tugged and tugged, but the lock would not pull free.

"Hmm..." He pondered over what he should do. Fortunately for him, there was a hole in the wall next to the door. He knew not if it lead out or deeper into the castle. He crawled in anyways.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: So sorry for the long wait! I've manly been focusing on the true book of my own than my stories on here... I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

Alice Kingsly had had enough. Enough of fighting, enough of been smacked around by that wretched Ebony and his guards, and enough of the new Underland! She wanted everything back to the way it had been before Ebony took over the throne. As soon as she awoke, her comrades informed her of how Absalom now had only one eye in its socket and how his lip got split.

"They put out your eye!" Alice yelled in a very ferocious manner. She just sat and breathed for a moment to calm down her rising temper. But then again, did she really care if she did not act lady like and instead went and stomped on Ebony's toes? She restrained herself from doing so. Maybe when she was close enough to him to do it, she would. Now though, he was several feet away conversing with his guards about a rising war.

"Listen." Mally hissed, straining her ears so she could soak in more information. The king stood with his hands on his hips; a frown was plastered to his scarred face.

"Some Underlanders are planning to overthrow me. If it were just a hundred or so we could easily wipe them out. Rumor has it that hundreds of thousands of those brats are training for combat. Where? I have absolutely no idea. That's the job I am assigning you three. Now go find those scumbags and report back to me of their secret hiding place." Ebony commanded the three largest, bulkies men there. Without hesitation, the three men started off.

...

Thackery shimmied into the dank tunnel running through the wall. It was a narrow passageway, not taken very often. By mice perhaps, but probably not human beings. It twisted and winded all around the castle. At one point, it ran strait down into the darkness below. The hare really had no other choice but to push past the spiders and their webs and hurtle down, down, down. He expected a horrid sounding _crunch_ as he landed, but instead he fell into a patch of dead brown grass. He had made it to the outside world. He brushed off the dirt on his fur and took a good look at his surroundings. He had not been released into the forests like the other mutants had, so he had not seen the petrifying changes that had occurred to his precious home, Underland.

There were no trees sprouting up from the city, whereas before they had been plentiful. No Underlanders sang cheery songs or danced merrily down the streets in the usual Sunday parades. The only humans or creatures that were currently roaming the sorrowful remains of this glorious land at the moment were Thackery and a handsome young fellow sulking a few steps away. The hare did not think twice about approaching him. He assumed him friendly and bounded over. The mutant tugged on the human's pant leg to get his full attention.

"Get away you beast!" the man around twenty two, cried as he stared wide eyed at Thackery. He stumbled backwards and tripped on a raised crack in the street.

"I'm no beast..." the hare replied, his spirits dampened a little. The man suddenly let out a scream and darted away into the misty night. Had he never heard a talking animal before? They were all around! If only poor Thackery had known the man had meant the Cheshire Cat who towered over the hare on his two hind legs and cast a dark shadow over him, he may not have been dinner for a hungry feline.

...

Benjamin, the guard who had been shoved into the whirlpool, now stood in the busy streets of London. He rubbed his eyes and blinked rapidly. Was he imagining he just popped out of a whirlpool in a lake into a land in which he had never been? Or was he still in Underland, dreaming or passed out somewhere? He pinched his shoulder.

"Nope, I don't think I'm dreaming..." He foolishly stamped on his own toes.

"I'm not dreaming... I'm not dreaming..." he whimpered. He spun around as someone tapped on his shoulder.

"Underland is in danger. Are you against the bloody new king?" The Mad Hatter as his usual self inquired, his voice unusually gruff and low (the mutations only appeared in the world which they the people or creatures were from). Benjamin gasped,

"You, you escaped Ebony's clutches! How?" he spoke in a rushed, squeaky voiced fashion. Tarrent grinned broadly.

"Oh, let's just say about an hour ago, Miss Alice Kingsly found a knife hidden in the grass and let the king's men have it as soon as he departed. A little word of advice, don't upset her. She will plunder and raid villages like the sturdy pirate lassie she is-" he rambled on and on in nonsense. The former guard was hopelessly lost and confused about what the mad man meant about Alice stealing a ship and sailing across the grass towards Scotland. He shrugged and snapped his fingers.

"Sir? Sir!" he shouted impatiently, "I am ready to assist you and this... lovely sounding girl... to save Underland!" he cheered. Brits who passed them by pointed and talked about them, but he paid them no heed. Underland was about to be ripped from Ebony Stayne's control and be returned to its original state. He smiled to himself and patted the loony orange haired man beside him who had begun to ramble on about Absalom stealing Chessur's cupcakes.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: A poem for the story. It's about Alice and one of the animals in her world. She discovers she has a talent of talking to the animals of Victorian London. Or maybe, the mouse came from Underland? Interpenetrate your own way. This poem is dedicated to the incredibly sweet and blessed with an extraordinary writing skill, The wistful mouse, who has given me such great advice. The wistful mouse, in this poem I pictured you as both Alice and the mouse. :) I hope you enjoy.**

The wistful mouse, intelligent and calm  
Welcomed a friendly outstretched palm  
A human, Alice, as angelic as the touch of snow  
Took the mouse in when she had nowhere to go  
Alice was as delicate as a blooming flower  
Possessing such an unusual power  
She could speak in the animal tongue  
As clear as water, their voices rung  
She whispered of haunting ancient melodies  
They told her of amusing mystic parodies  
But no animal could compete  
With that little mouse, how sweet  
The bond between the two grew strong  
Neither was ever right or wrong  
They lived in perfect harmony, the two  
The wistful mouse, this poem's for you


	8. Chapter 8

Benjamin followed Hatter into the whirlpool. It didn't work at first, after a second try though they plunged into a colorful vortex. Blues, reds, greens, and yellows of all shades swirled around the tornado like vortex. They tumbled and fell through a layer of darkness. They spun round and round; falling, falling. A buzzing noise could be heard over the sound of the whirlpool grinding. Benjamin landed face first in dark Underland soil. Hatter however, landed softly on his feet. Metal scraping against metal boomed in their heads. They were in the very center of a battle between Underlanders and Stayne's guards. The king himself was nowhere to be found.

...

Chessur reached forward and snatched Thackery up in his paws. The hare trembled from fear.

"D-don't eat m-me!" he stammered. The cat laughed a chilling laugh and tucked the hare under his arm. The Cheshire Cat bounded joyously over to a crumpled building. He lifted the fallen door with one hand and scurried in. He set Thackery down and rolled his eyes as him before opening a hidden latch in the floor. Careful to avoid holes in the stairs, he disappeared. The March Hare waited for a moment, wondering what the merry cat was up to. Why was he so delighted? A minute later footsteps, hundreds of them, rumbled below the floorboards. There must of been a whole army down there! Thackery saw his former friend's furry body hurry out of the secret room.

"The Underlanders just needed a little talking to!" he shouted over the noise of battle cries, "They are ready to fight for Underland and so am I! You with me!" The hare helped the cat push the busted door out of the way so the hundreds of thousands of Underlanders could get out.

"Oh yeah! I'm ready to rid this world of evil!" he cheered.

...

Alice spotted Tarrent fighting a huge guard. She rushed over and stabbed the man in the thigh. With a squeal, he fell to the ground.

"Tarrent! You're normal!" she gasped. He smiled and winked, stuffing his trusty hat on his head. Benjamin sidestepped what would of been a fatal blow and stamped on a man with dark skin who laid on the ground. Even Mirana was fighting. She knew it was against her vows, but if felt so good to kick a muscular female guard in the side. She was protecting her homeland and her people, forget vows. Absalom was protecting McTwisp from a gang. Alice noticed he still was mutated unlike the others. They had changed back to their normal selves.

"Why is he-" she started to ask, but Mirana stopped her.

"He quite likes his mutant form. He's handsome and doesn't have to crawl about. I did a little magic. Also.. his eye is fixed." she said with a grin.

...

Cheshire Cat stretched before leading his troops onwards. Him turning back to a regular talking cat didn't slow him down. Even as his fangs became small and his body shrunk, his determination made the Underlanders _want_ to obey him even though he was no longer a fighting machine. Thackery hopped cheerily alongside his friend.

...

Stayne paced a few feet away, aware he might lose this battle.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait. Here is the very last chapter. It's not much, but it took me two hours to think up. Enjoy! I just wanna say thanks to my loyal readers. Have a fantastic summer, you guys! :)**

Swirling funnel clouds of darkness descended from the sky above. A wave of heat washed over the bloodstained battlefield. The clouds ripped trees up from the earth and scattered them far off in the distance. Mushrooms sagged as the ground trembled.

"GET DOWN!" Hatter screamed when a tree hurtled towards Alice. She ducked just a moment before it zipped over her body which was pressed flat against the ground. Tarrent's eyes narrowed. That tree had attempted to kill sweet Alice. The tornado would pay for that. The mad man tore across a rocky field, his heels digging into the ground. Blood trickled down his forehead from a cut above his eye. It would heal, so no reason to pay it any heed.

Absalom fought side by side with Mirana. Enemies swarmed the White Queen's side. She rolled out of the way just as a wooden mallet bashed where she had been. The mutated caterpillar dodged, parried, lunged, and rolled, but his strength was being drained from his body.

"I can't hold 'em!"

"There's only a few left!" March Hare gasped from a few feet away.

"I can't-" Ab collapsed, breathing heavy. A pool of sweat formed around his limp body. McTwisp came to his side. His nose twitched. _Sniff sniff_.

Benjamin slashed away at one guard. He looked pathetic really, but he was trying his best. Alice took one last swing before she passed out from exhaustion. One by one her friends began to fall.

...

Alice awoke on an empty battlefield. The funnel clouds had disappeared. No creatures or people could be seen anywhere.

"Where is everyone?" she asked. Her breath was visible in the bitter cold air. Every breath she sucked in was painful.

_You are chosen to find the Vorapal Sword_. _Wake up. Wake up. Awake! _a voice boomed in her head._  
_

...

Reality rushed back into Alice. Air filled her lungs at last. Her eyes fluttered open. She had to find the Vorapal Sword to win this battle. The young woman padded across the long stretch of land that lay ahead of her. Her heart pounded in her eardrums. Where could it be? Tarrent bumped into Mrs. Kingsleigh suddenly. In his hands he held a sword. The Vorapal Sword to be exact. He tried handing it to her, instead it slipped through her fingertips in a black mist.

"There!" The Mad Hatter pointed to a hill with gray grass growing in tufts in the dark soil. Alice nodded in understanding. The sword had appeared stuck in the ground. She had to retrieve it. It seems too easy, she thought. As she headed over, time seemed to slow. A minute seemed endless. Time slowed. Every sharp breath took what seemed like hours to breathe. The battle was still in full speed all around. At this rate it would take her years to approach her destined spot. She did not have years. She had mere minutes. Absalom, Hare, and McTwisp had fallen. Mally had vanished in the chaos.

The Cheshire cat sunk his teeth into Alice's shoulder. Blood dripped onto the grass.

"Blood from the Champion must be paid to the sword. Now, go get it!" he ordered, pushing her forward. The sword flew into the lady in the ripped up blue dress' open hands. It was no longer heavy as it had been last time she used it on the Jabberwocky. It felt light as a feather. Knowledge flowed into the girl's welcoming mind. Fighting the tornado was what must happen.

The funnel clouds grew closer meaning Alice had little time. Thunder rumbled; lightning flashed across the sky. Once she charged towards the cloud, so did her entire army. They ignored the enemy forces for now. Fat raindrops splatted on the heads of the warriors. The wind howled; screeching at the top of its lungs, it seemed to yell:

"DEFEND UNDERLAND!"

...

Mirana watched in the distance as the Champion led the army into the heart of the storm. She prayed for them to live. She prayed for them to save her kingdom. She prayed for them to hurry. Stayne's army was advancing.

Purple smoke wrapped around the warriors on the White Queen's side. Absalom laid on his stomach, barley alive, under a fallen mushroom. Sending puffs of violet smoke around his friends; he gave them strength from his ancient magic. Mally squirmed out from under the mushroom beside him. The mouse scrambled over to her ally's aid.

...

Alice relaxed her muscles. She inhaled deeply.

"I am the _Champion_," a barely audible whisper escaped her mouth. She raised the sword high in the air; she prayed for success.

"I free _all_ of this land from Evil's clutches! Now be FREE!" White light blasted from the brave girl's eyes. It expanded over the entire land. Ebony's followers sunk into the ground. Tree roots pulled them down under. Stayne dropped to his knees screaming. He became only a shadow. A shadow that Hatter pinned down, grinning crazily at.

"You are ruined." he snickered.

...

The day cleared as time passed. The sun shone down on the mushrooms that starting growing again. Woodland creatures scampered out of their hiding places into the open. Streets crowded with people celebrating victory, seemed like a distant memory being brought back from the past. Flowers popped up most everywhere.

In a rounded courtyard stood Mirana, Hatter, and of course, Alice. Tangled exotic foliage hung down from supporting beams. Vivid birds of all sizes nested in the steamy mini jungle. In the very center of the enclosure were four marble backless benches in a square formation.

"Do you really have to go? You can stay here with me, I, um, us. You can be... my queen." Tarrent gazed deep into the love of his life's eyes. Mirana placed a hand on the noble warrior's shoulder.

"Alice, I disobeyed my vows. I harmed living creatures. I fought in a war. I am no longer authorized to be queen of Underland. You, however can be more than your Hatter's queen. You can be queen of all of Underland if you wish. Tarrent can be king. Is that what you choose?"

Alice's lip trembled. Tears of joy streamed down her cheeks. She kissed her special mad man.

"I accept being queen of Wonderland, as well as... Hatter's queen." He coiled his fingers around hers.

"My first law today is Underland's new name. Underland had been darkened; twisted. Wonderland will be the rebuilt city. My second law is that Ebony be banished, just as his parents had been. And My final law for today is that Underlanders shall be allowed, encouraged even, to travel to the land above. Regular people can visit here. And we, _Wonderlanders_ can visit their home." Alice kissed Hatter again; the two walked hand in hand towards the castle. Inside, awaiting their arrival, was March Hare, Mally, McTwisp, Benjamin, Ches, and Absalom, all healthy again.

"Maybe there are happy endings to tragic beginnings after all. This dessert sure is a happy ending for me. I wouldn't mind dying while eating this little piece of heaven." Absalom decided, wolfing down a cupcake decorated with blue icing. Alice laughed, smiling. The Mad Hatter put an arm around her. She bowed to her king and said:

"All is well now, in my crazy, mixed up Wonderland."


End file.
